Interlocking devices for concrete wall form panels



April 1956 A. J. HARDER 2,740,182

INTERLOCKING DEVICES FOR CONCRETE WALL FORM PANELS Filed Dec. 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2-4;-

i /2 L 5 d INVENTOR Aer/ewe J. l meoze' April 3, 1956 A. J. HARDER 40,182

NTERLOCKING DEVICES FOR CONCRETE WALL FORM PANELS Filed Dec. 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 4e 7'// ue J. f/eeose United States Patent 0 INTERLOCKING DEVICES FOR CONCRETE WALL FORM PANELS Arthur J. Harder, Chicago, ll. Application December 22, 1952, Serial No. 327,262 4 Claims. (Cl. 25-131)- The present invention relates to cement form panels, and has forits main object the provision of eflicient and simple means for interlocking a pair of adjacent panels for securely .bindingand interlocking a plurality of panels on one side of a concrete wall to be built.

Another object of the present invention is the provision, in conjunction with a pair of flanges in a pair of adjacent panels, of means for receiving and binding a strip of metallic sheet material which would bind and interlock a pair of adjacent panels in an edge to edge relation on one side of a concrete wall to be built,-preparatory to the binding by suitable ties of a pair of panel form walls, between which a cement mixture is poured in the usual manner.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a comparatively simple clamping unit carricd by the inner faces of the panel flanges so that a pair of opposed clamping units in a pair of adjacent-panels may be capable of binding a strip of metallic sheet material for the purpose of interlocking a pair of panels when laid in an edge to edge relation.

In building a concrete wall a footing is first made. Thereupon a pair of spaced form walls, each comprised of a plurality of panels laid in an edge to edge relation, is erected upon said footing preparatory to the pouring of cement mixture between the two form walls for the purpose of laying a concrete wall upon said footing. The greatest stresses due to the weight of the poured cement mixture between a pair of panel form walls occur adjacent the bottom edges of the lowermost panels in the two oppositely disposed form walls, that is adjacent the edges of the panels which directly rest upon the footing. Therefore, another important object of the present invention is the provision of efficient means for interlocking the opposed panel in a pair of spaced form walls for the purpose of maintaining them in position and preventing them from shifting away from each other during the cement pouring operation due to the weight of the cement mixture.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a suitable clamp anchored on the inner face of the panel flange in order to receive and bind an end of a tie strip for the purpose of securely holding the panels in a pair of form walls in a mutually bound-relation preventing them from yielding away from each other.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement'of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer-to corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Fig. 1 is a transverse cross sectional view through the concrete footing and a concrete wall built thereabove, with a pair of opposed panels in a pair of spaced form walls, including flanges projecting from the edges of the ing a tie strip made -.;by mean's'of nails-15 (Fig.

2.. panels, with-a clamping device carried by each flange, a pair of said-clamping devices receiving and firmlybindofresilient metallic sheet, which said tie strip extends across the concrete wallor the space into Whichth'e' cement mixture is poured preparatory to the-building of a concrete-walL' for the purpose'of binding and preventing yielding under the weight of the poured cement mixture of-the panels inthe'opposed form walls at their edges adjacent the footing;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on line 22 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is an outer-face elevational view of a plurality of panels in one form wall showing in addition to the clamping device described in Fig. 1 the means for interlocking the adjacent panels as well as means for engaging and binding the ties extending from theopposi te form wall;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged'cross sectional view, taken on line 4'-4 of Fig. 3, illustrating clamping devices of'a modified construction; the view showingthe manner of binding a pairof adjacent panels within a form Wall;

Fig. 5 is-a face elevational view of one of the clamping devices shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary face elevational view'ofa panel carrying :a clamping device referred to in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is'a fragmentary face elevational view of'a pair of-- adjacentpanels and their contacting flanges, with a pair of clamping devices, one carried by each of the said flanges for receiving and clamping the ends of a resilient strip of metallic material for binding and interlocking a pair'of panelsin one form wall, the clamping devicesbeingofthe construction shown in Fig. l, but employedto bind -adjacentpanels as illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig.8 is a face elevational view of the clamping member coacting'with the clamping device illustrated in Figs.

1, 2, 6 and 9; and

Fig. 9 is anenlarged cross sectional view through the clamping device illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, preparatory tothe reception in an operative position therewith of the clamping member shown in Fig. 8.

Panels 10 are each made out of a plurality of boards laidin an edgeto-edge relation, and joined by means'of a plurality of'cross barsll (Fig. 3). Adjacent its edges each-panel' is provided with flan e 12. Said cross bars 11 are connected to the longitudinal flange bars 12 by means of angle members 13. The longitudinal and transverse flange bars of flangelZ may be connected at their ends bymeans-of similar angle members 14, as seen in Fig. 3. Flanges are connected to the body of panels 10 l) or similar means." Of course,-the bodyofpanels 10 may be made of homogeneous plywood sheets or the like.

In erecting a concretefoundation for a structure footing '16 is-fir'st made: Longitudinally of said footing 16,

centrally and along the upperface thereof groove 17 is made. The poured 'cement mixture between a pair 'of spaced form wa'lls will define concrete vertical'wall- 18 with a downwardly depending tongue '19 which is -seated within said groove 17 and acts as a water lock,preven'ting seepage. of =water=past said' tongue 19, and simultaneously defines means-for preventing skidding-of said vertical wall upon said footing lo.

As a preliminary step for the cement pouring operation for erecting a vertical wall over the'footing,- a pairof spacedform walls are-erected, and supported upon 'said footing .1 16, as is clearly seen in-Fig. 1. Each of said form -walls includes a plurality of panels lih the lowermost of which rest upo'n' the upper face of footing 16 Due to the weight of'the poured cement between' 'the 0 two spaced formiwalls,-it is obvious-'that'the greatest degree of stress'would he at the lowermost panels of the two form walls,

particularly at the lowermost edges of flange 12. Of course,

"the latter. In order to prevent yielding of the lowermost panels in the two spaced form walls away from each other due to the weight of the poured cement therebetween the present device was made. The same includes angle member 20, affixed by one of its leaves to the inner face of flange 12. This is done by means of a plurality of screws 21 passed through apertures made in the leaf of said member which rests upon the inner face of said screws are driven into the body of said flange 12. Additional means of fastening said angle member 20 to flange 12 includes a plurality of spikes 22, driven into flange 12 and which by their heads engage from above the edges of the leaf of member 20 resting upon flange 12.

The other leaf of each of said angle members 20 is in a. perpendicular relation to flange 12, and in a parallel relation with panel 10, as is clearly seen in Fig. l. Said latter leaf is provided with slot 23. Coacting with each of said angle members 20 in connection with each form wall is an oblong strip 24 made of resilient metallic material. One end of said strip 24 is passed through slot 23, inserting the end of said strip 24 from the outer face of the vertical leaf of said angle member 20, that is from the face farther removed from panel 10. Thereupon the end of said strip 24 is looped around the edge of said vertical leaf of angle member 20, that is the edge which is above said slot 23, as is best shown in Fig. 9.

Coacting with angle member 20 is clamping member 25, which in eifect consists of a U-shaped plate, the two leaves of which at their free registering apertures 26. Said clamping member 25 is driven over the free end of the vertical leaf of angle member 20 until apertures 26 come in alinement with slot 23. Nail 27, or the like, is then driven through the two apertures 26 as well as said slot 23, by virtue of which operation the doubled end of strip 24 opposite of or within said slot 23 is pierced through by said nail 27. By virtue of this arrangement and operation nail 27 holds the end of strip 24 firmly anchored to the vertical leaf of angle member 20. Further, nail 27 maintains clamping member 25 in its operative position upon the free end of the vertical leaf of angle member 20 and in a clamping position with relation to the loop of said strip 24 around the edge of the vertical leaf of angle member 25 which is disposed above said slot 23. Strip 24 is passed over the free edge of flange 12, thereupon the same is extended below the lowermost faces of both flanges 12 as well as the lowermost ends of panels 10, and finally the opposite end is brought upwardly and along the free edge gaged with the free end of the vertical leaf of angle mem ber 20 after passing said opposite end of strip 24 through slot 23 in the opposite vertical leaf of angle member 20, all as was hereinabove described. By virtue of the fact that both ends of strip 24 are firmly anchored to the vertical leaves of angle member 20 through the medium of clamping members 25 and nails 27 the lowermost panels, that is those resting directly upon footing 16, as seen in Fig. l, are capable of withstanding the greatest stresses due to the weight of the cement mixture poured between the two form walls, because said strip 24 prevents the lowermost panels in the two form walls from shifting or yielding away from each other.

After the cement mixture between two form panels has solidified into a concrete wall therebetween, to remove the panels on both sides of the wall all that is required is to remove nails 27, and when the same are withdrawn from apertures 26 and slots 23 the ends of strip 24 are easily removed from slots 23 and thereby disengaged from the vertical leaves of angle members 20. The outer end of said strip 24 could .be left without further attention, while the inner end of strip 24 could be either bent downwardly, that is below the upper surface of footing 16 to be subsequently covered by a concrete floor, or said inner end of said strip 24 if desired ends are provided with n of the opposite flange 12 and enmay be cut otf. Of course, panels 10 may be dismantled from the form wall on each side of the concrete wall built after the panels have been freed from the interlocking devices later described as well as from the clamps which bind the ties which extend across the concrete wall with the panels.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5 the same show angle members 28, which in constructioncorrespond to angle members 20, except that the former are provided with slot 29 adjacent the base of the vertical leaf rather than adjacent the free end thereof as are slots 23 made in the angle members 29. Angle members 28 upon their vertical leaves are each provided with lug 30 which extends from the face which is disposed nearest thebody of panel 19. Lug 30 is provided with a threaded aperture through which the threaded portion of clampingbar 31 is extended. The free end of bar 31- is provided with cross piece 32 by means of which said bar 31 may be rotated toward or away from the leaf of the angle member 28 which is affixed to flange 12.

When a pair of adjacent panels it is brought in an edge to edge relation, with the adjacent flange bars 12 thereof in contact, as seen in Fig. 4, thereupon metallic strip 33 is inserted by its ends through slots 29 in a pair of cooperating angle members 23, carried by the inner faces of flanges 12 in a pair of adjacent panels. Thereupon one of the ends of said strip 33 is brought under clamping bar 31 and the latter is rotated by means of cross piece 32 in order to clamp the end of said strip 33 against the leaf of the angle member 28 resting upon the face of flange 12. After the opposite end of strip 33 has been pulled in order to remove any slack in the body of the strip, a similar operation is resorted with the other clamping bar 31 in order to clamp the opposite end of strip 33 to and against the leaf of angle member 28 which is aflixed to flange 12. Thus said strip 33 will maintain the two adjacent panels bound to each other preventing shifting movement of one panel 10 independently of the other panel when under the pressure of the poured cement between a pair of form walls.

Referring to Fig. 7 the angle members 20 shown there are used for the identical purpose as angle members 28 were employed in connection with the showing of Fig. 4. In Fig. 7 the ends of strip 33 are passed through slots 23, and thereupon are looped around the free edges of the vertical portions of angle members 28, same as in Fig. 9, and thereupon clamping members 25 are applied over the looped ends of strip 33 and the free ends of the vertical leaves of said angle members 20 in, order to clamp the ends of said strip 33 to said angle members 20.

As is seen in Figs. 4 and 7 the central body portion of strip 33 tranverses the free edges of flange bars 12 in a pair of adjacent panels 10.

The two form walls defining the space thcrebetween into which a cement mixture is poured, are in turn connected by suitable ties, the ends of which usually extend outwardly of each form wall and between a pair of adjacent panels in each form wall. There, the ends of ties are engaged by suitable clamps 34, indicated in Fig. 3. Such clamps are disclosed in my Patents 2,461,733 and 2,600,362.

For all intents and purposes the free leaves of angle members 20 and 28 projecting from flanges 12 are plates Which maybe secured in any suitablemanner to said flanges 12. j

It is further observed that angle members 20 with the cooperating clamping member 25 may be interchangeably used with angle members 28 shown in Figs. 4 and 5, including lugs 30 and clamping bars 31.

It is further noted that nail 27-is not an indispensable element of the invention underall conditions. Oftentimes clamping member 25 alone will suffice to hold the looped ends of either strip 24 or 33 firmly bound to the vertical plate of angle member 20.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention, understood that minor changes without departing from the spirit tion as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In the art of setting a concrete form wall, a plurality of panels, said panels when arranged in an edge to edge relation defining said form wall, a flange rigidly afixed to each panel adjacent the margin thereof, said flange in each panel being substantially in a perpendicular relation with the body of the panel, a strip of oblong resilient metallic material extended across the free edges of the adjacent flanges in a pair of panels, and a pair of clamping devices mounted on said adjacent flanges to clamp the strip thereto for locking said panels together, each clamping device comprising an angle member secured to one of said adjacent flanges with one of its sides secured to the inner face of the flange and the other of its sides projecting from the inner face of the flange at a location near the free edge thereof, said other side having an aperture therein near its base to permit the end of said strip to be passed into engagement with the exposed face of said one side, a lug extending toward the body portion of the panel from said other side of the angle member, and a clamping bar threaded through said lug substantially parallel to said other side of the angle member to move toward and away from strip clamping relationship with the exposed face of said one side of said angle member.

2. A concrete wall form panel comprising a substantially rectangular body portion, a flange rigidly afiixed to said body portion adjacent the margin thereof, said flange being substantially in a perpendicular relation with said body portion, at least one plate afiixed to said flange, said plate extending from the inner face of said flange in a substantially parallel relation with said body portion, a lug laterally extending from one face of said plate, and a clamping bar threaded through said lug parallel to said plate, said clamping bar being adapted for longitudinal shifting movement to or away from clamping relation with said inner face of said flange.

3. In a wall form construction including a pair of panels and a strip of metal secured to the panels of said pair to prevent movement of said panels away from each it is nevertheless to be may be made therein and scope of the invenother, the improvement which comprises a clamping device mounted on each of said panels for securing the ends of said strip to said panels, each of said clamping devices comprising a plate fixed at one end to a panel and extending away from said panel, said plate having an aperture therein near its free end of a size to permit said strip of metal to be threaded therethrough and looped around the free end of said plate, and a U-shaped member driven over the free end of the plate with the strip looped therearound to clamp said strip between the inner surface of said U-shaped member and the outer surface of said plate.

4. In a wall form construction including a pair of panels and a strip of metal secured to the panels of said pair to prevent movement of said panels away from each other, the improvement which comprises a clamping device mounted on each of said panels for securing the ends of said strip to said panels, each of said clamping devices comprising a plate fixed at one end to a panel and extending away from said panel, a lug extending from one face of said plate and spaced from said panel, and a clamping bar extending through said lug parallel to said plate and threadedly engaging said lug, whereby said clamping bar may be rotated to move the inner end thereof toward said panel to clamp said strip between said panel and said clamping bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

